ARIZONA CHEESE STEAK, PHILLY FLAVOR

By KAREN CROUSE

Published: January 16, 2009

At lunchtime Thursday, business was brisk at Forefathers, a sandwich shop a half-mile from the Cardinals' practice facility that specializes in Philly cheese steaks.

A customer wearing a Phillies cap picked up his order and asked the manager, who was flitting between the grill and the register, which team he planned to root for Sunday in the National Football Conference title game between the Eagles and the Cardinals.

The question was as loaded as one of the shop's cheese steaks. The thinly sliced steak used in the sandwiches is imported from Philadelphia, as are many of the customers. The owner, Tony Crump, said 80 percent of his regulars were transplants from Philadelphia or South Jersey.

But since he opened the sandwich shop 18 months ago, the Cardinals have become steady customers. The team has paid him to cater lunches and several of the players regularly stop by for a sandwich on their way home from practice.

Crump's brother-in-law, who manages the place, told the customer he would be rooting for the Cardinals. So will Crump, who said: ''I'm happy they are playing in the N.F.C. championship. I feel like I win either way.''

Crump said it was not hard to pick out a Philly sports fan when he comes into the shop. ''They are certainly a more outgoing breed than your normal Cardinals fan,'' he said. ''Even if there was one Philly fan to 10 Arizona fans, that Philly fan would make himself heard.''

In addition to sandwiches, it is possible to buy a gray T-shirt that says: nothing beats a good ''wiz.'' That would be the cheese spread, not Cardinals Coach Ken Whisenhunt, the Whiz of AZ.